The opening scene of Porco Rosso shows that the year is 1929, a decade after the First World War. This is depicted on the cover of the magazine Cinema, which rests over Porco Rosso's piggish face. It was a time of high tension throughout Europe and the Mediterranean Sea where the story takes place. In Germany the Nazi's were gaining strength while planning their conquest of Germany and later Europe with the possibility of the world. Italians were under Il Duce's iron rule, as he commanded the Fascist party, the only party allowed. Nineteen twenty-nine was just years before Francisco Franco's control in Spain with a Fascist ideology.

What is most alarming is that 1929 was only one decade away from the Second World War, which was slowly brewing throughout Europe. In essence, Hayao Miyazaki literally depicts the year that was in-between the two World Wars, but his film also turns into a political allegory for the that time. This allegory is depicted through a flying pig that defies political undercurrents by collecting bounties on outlaws and trying to stay outside the boundaries of society.

Porco Rosso, once a man, now a pig due to a curse, flies for himself only, as he collects bounties and makes life sour for air pirates that terrorize the Mediterranean Sea. Porco lives a lonely life in a hide-away somewhere in Mediterranean Sea where he bathes in the sun when he is not hunting flying pirates. Isolation seems to be Porco's way of dealing with his appearance and the only excursion from his personal island is done with help of darkness. At night shadows help veil his pig face, as he visits his favorite hangout, Hotel Adriano.

Miyazaki does a marvelous job in his creation of the character Porco who portrays dispositions such as selfishness, cynicism, and gloom through a pig without hope of being something better. The idea of using a pig is also remarkably brilliant, as the pig is often used as a symbol for greed and sloth. Porco's laziness is depicted through his sunbathing and his inactive participation in politics and society, as the world around him is once again about to crumble.

The persona and attire of Porco brings a mood that is experienced through many film noirs where cynical characters meet in sleazy and ominous atmospheres. This is evident when Porco visits Hotel Adriano for the first time when all his enemies are present. The film noir that Porco Rosso offers also augments the cinematic value of the story, as it authentically depicts the time period. The cynicism is further enhanced if the audience reflects on the political atmosphere of the 1930s in Europe where politics divided families and neighbors turned each other in due to different beliefs.

In the middle of this an American pilot, Donald Curtis, arrives to claim fame and secure a spot in Hollywood, and maybe later the Presidency. When Curtis for the first time hears Madame Gina sing at the restaurant at Hotel Adriana he falls in love. However, he does not know that her love belongs to another, even though this other does not know. Curtis' reason to come to Europe was to have a dogfight with the infamous Porco Rosso and he finds his opportunity when Porco is on his way to get his plane fixed. This is the way he wants to claim his fame by shooting down Porco, which he successfully does as Porco's plane has a motor problem.

Somehow Porco succeeds in getting his plane through Italy and to Milan where Paolo Piccolo a skilled airplane mechanic that he trusts lives. When Porco arrives he discovers that the Paolo's 17-year old American granddaughter is more or less running the show. Initially, Porco is suspicious and wants to go to another mechanic, but is convinced to stay. Fortunately Porco's suspicions are groundless, as his suspicions seem to be more sexist than based on facts. When the plane is fixed Porco can return to his life, as a bounty hunter, but the political climate has changed and it seems to have put Porco in a spot where he is forced to take a side.

Hayao Miyazaki's Porco Rosso is a fantastic animated journey that also makes a strong political statement. The film entertains young and old, but also leaves a lot for the audience to ponder while the magnificent animation transcends into the mind through vibrant colors and detailed lines. Cleverly, Miyazaki communicates his story through an obvious storyline that is visually explicit, but also hidden in visual codes and symbols. This means that the film is multifaceted with several ideas that can have an audience member scratching their head for a long time. The story also keeps the viewers on the edge of their seat, as nail-biting suspense leaves the audience guessing what will happen next. Ultimately, this cinematic masterpiece leaves the audience with a fulfilling experience that offers something for everyone.

So Happy to finally have this in my collection.

This movie finally made my favorite list after seeing it on streaming, and I had to get my hands on a physical copy.

And this copy is fantastic! And found this adorable printout of the song's lyrics in the dvd box as well.

I’m over the moon! 💚

Porco Rosso (Crimson Pig) has so much going on that it remains a family favorite, astonishing and delightful, after many years and many viewings. The hero is a man whom fate has given the head of a pig, (there is an explanation, sort of) a famous bounty hunter battling the sea-plane pirates of the Adriatic, a man who flies through mean skies but is not, himself, mean.

Miyazaki has always had the Jane Austin/ Fred Astair / Eddie Van Halen appeal- talent and work ethic so strong they make anything look possible, something you too could do. The animation is beautiful to look at, but its implicit in the story, and the story is simply what happens in the lives of remarkable and undaunted characters. Porco Rosso is a Hero, with a capital "H", but he'd be nothing without the Italian workshop which rebuilds his airplane, with its canny proprietor, and the young woman engineer who is just starting her career, and a workforce of older master craftswomen. A new and more powerful engine helps too. Friends from his past warn him when the Facists are in pursuit, and then there's the mob of air pirates, including the evil twin of Howard Hughes, intent to show that might equals right. Did I mention the sad, slightly distant widow he loves, whom he feels unworthy of?

There are two of the great tough-guy lines of all time in the dialog (you'll know them when you hear them) and yet they are just what you'd expect him to say. He is a tough guy, and we'd be better off if there were more like him.

As you'd further expect, there's a lot of flying and some shooting, but this is a fable and nobody is ever actually hurt, other than Porco Rosso and the ur-Hughes who have a knock-down-drag-out fight in shallow water. Elaborate black eyes and exhaustion mark both, but they'll live. There's plenty of serious danger and there is death, and loss, in the story, but no-one is killed on screen. Less benign than "Toy Story", far more innocent than "Star Wars". But parents may have to explain Italian history from WWI to the late 1930s. You'll want to. Its that good.

(*****) for the Japanese-language track on this long-awaited Region 1 release of Kurenai no buta on DVD. Compared to grey- and black-market DVDs and VHSs to which Miyazaki fans have had to resort, this new DVD mastering and cleanup with remastered soundtrack is wonderful. Bravo, well done!

( ****) for this Disney-fied English-track leg-lift aimed at North Americans! Judging by soundtrack "enhancements", dramatic-element telegraphing and noticeable character & plot alterations, we-all Yanks must be too stupid to understand what Miyazaki-san originally had in mind. And apparently only name-brand vocal stars will get us into theaters.

While the English track of this DVD fares much better than Disney's recent release of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, there are still bones to pick. Why does the Pig (well-voiced here by Michael Keaton) no longer threaten (bluff) to kill all the air pirates when they're holding some kids hostage? Why does the Pig demand that these seven-year old girls (who now belong to a swim "club" instead of a swim team), wet but sunning themselves in their underwear after escaping from their captors, put their clothes back on? And why did they make Madame Gina (normally calm, supremely self-assured and patient) relatively temperamental, insecure, and girlish?

One inexcusable point: the lovely French song Gina sings early on was rerecorded and rearranged, evidently by a poor excuse for a Las Vegas lounge singer, dripping with distasteful American-style sloppy emoting. A nasty change, and unwarranted.

Questionable translations, plot surgery and gratuitous tinkering-by-focus group have made some elements a bit of a concern for Miyazaki purists, but thankfully the story's mostly unchanged. I still hate when Disney sneaks in "fill-in" dialog when characters' backs are turned. Why can't a longing gaze at the sunset remain just that?

I can recommend this to anyone over about eight years old. The themes are mostly adult, and there are situations of threat, suspense, lots of gunfire, and slapstick violence. Not for small children, but then again not as intense as Princess Mononoke or Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.

I have all of Hayao Miyazaki's best known animated features, but had not really heard much about this early effort. I was intrigued because one source said that Miyazaki named Studio Ghibli after the Italian plane which appears in this movie, so I bought it. The movie proved to be classic Miyazaki: one enters the story seemingly in the middle, there is a level of humor, danger, fantasy and mystery, and true loss.

The animation is incredibly rich with the usual attention to detail, and colors remain vivid. The story is compelling, but for audiences inexperienced in Japanese cinema it may be a little unsettling in that not all questions are answered. The movie is lively and funny, but the flashbacks are emotionally powerful. Once again, the soundtrack contributes powerfully to the mood in those scenes.

Some reviewers of other Miyazaki movies released in the US have complained about the use of Hollywood stars for the voice talent, but honestly I haven't found that to be an issue, or distracting. In many cases, unless one looks at the voice talent in advance the viewer would not be able to connect most voices with the star.

Not as well known as "Howl's Moving Castle", "Spirited Away" and "Whispers of the Heart", "Porco Rosso" is worthy of being included with those movies. Any fan of Miyazaki's work will enjoy this movie.

This might be my favorite Miyazaki film. The idea of a pigman as the lead role in a movie is a little strange, but it does not hinder the film at all. The plot of the movie was easy to pick up and the flow of the movie kept you interested without moving too fast. All the planes through out the movie made it very pleasing to the eye and gives you something to look forward to when watching it through more than once. I also like that this is atleast one movie of Miyazaki's that doesn't have a blatant "shame on you for destroying the environment" message tied up in it. You get a movie with an interesting story that is entertaining with a little something to reflect on in the end.

While I wouldn't call this a comedy, the humor throughout it keeps the movie with a good balance of light-hearted and serious. If you are looking for something that is a good mix of humor, drama, and action then this is an excellent choice.

I can't go through a review of this movie without mentioning the music. Because of how well Joe Hisaishi matches the feel of the movie with the music he adds, this movie is able to be at its peak.

With all its varied and interesting components put together this movie turns out to be something well worth getting and well worth the watch.

I've always enjoyed Hao Miyazaki's films. Ever since I first watched Naussica of the Valley of the Wind in the early 80s, I've always enjoyed his scope of imagination and his sense of humor, drama, and even tragedy.

I'd seen lots of promotional art for this film, but didn't know much about it. I finally took a chance on it, and, as expected, was pleased with what I saw. It didn't have a lot of blood shed, not a lot of war or adult oriented violence as is often associated with anime, Miyazaki's films included, but has lots of action and is warm of heart.

It's a film commenting on the self centered single male who dazzles women with his prowess, but never commits for whatever reason--comfort, lack of romantic desire or inclination, prefers to live alone--that kind of thing. Hence Proco Rosso is an Italian flyer turned into a swine after losing his squadron. He thus leads the romantic life of a gun for hire roaming the Mediterranean skies hunting sky pirates.

Like Miyazaki's other works the interpersonal journey is woven into the plot, but unlike his other films there's not much plot here. Castle in the Sky, Naussica, Howl's Moving Castle, and others, have lots of plot elements that constitute the basic story, but Porco Rosso is more of a personal exposition of the main character, because he's not really out to clamp down on pirates, stop an invasion, nor otherwise be part or a larger thematic drama.

Good solid decent Miyazaki anime. Check it out.

I have seen this anime movie before, in the subtitled version sold in the Hayao Miyazaki collection. Many dubs of good Japanese anime movies or series are horrible. I have to admit this is a very good dub, and seeing it, I realized I'd missed a few subtle details. I won't spoil it for anyone, but suffice it to say, that I got a completely different take on the ending by hearing this in English. Michael Keaton was an inspired choice as Porco. He gave just the right kind of understated, "man of few words" talk that was expected from his character.

While I'm not certain how old this is, it is definitely from before 1998 when Princess Mononoke was released. The animation is first rate all the way, and the art is extraordinary, as we've come to expect from recent Miyazaki films. A friend of mine who viewed it with me said the backgrounds were almost real life, but the characters and things like planes seemed more cartoon like in the foreground. I personally like the effect, as it gives the characters some dimension. Too many drawn animes look two-dimensional all the time. By fading the background a bit and making it more realistic, it brings more life to the characters, and movement of objects.

As for the movie, itself it has a good story that on the surface excites the younger audience, and on a bit deeper level gives the adults something to enjoy. Porco has a bit of a comment on the history of the time (pre-World War II). Most of that commentary will go right over younger children, who will love Porco and his adventures. Miyazaki seems to have a love for children. Many of his stories appeal to them without being overly dumbed down, and syrupy.

As for my Disney title comment, they have the rights to these films. If Disney spent a little on promotion, this kind of film plays well for American audiences. While it angered me at the time, the way they tanked the distribution of Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away. It may have made some business sense, since they were both in uniquely Japanese settings. Porco Rosso however, is set in the Adriatic Sea, and has many universal adventure concepts, like pirates, spies, airplanes, and hide-a-way desert islands.

As for the DVD, top notch all around, two discs with wide-screen and tons of extra's on the second. The transfer looks great, and while I don't have a THX system to try it, its THX certified and includes a THX Optimizer. It's also specially enhanced for 16X9 televisions. An outer cardboard art sleeve protects the inner standard DVD clamshell, which has the same art on it on the cover.

Porco Rosso ist ein fliegendes Schwein, das gegen ein hohes Entgelt für den Staat Aufträge erfüllt. Zum Beispiel, wenn dumme Piraten wieder Schulmädchen gekidnappt haben. So begleiten wir Porco Rosso auf ein paar Abenteuern, bevor er zum ersten Mal eine “richtige” Herausforderung bekommt: Ein junger amerikanischer Flieger fordert ihn zum Duell heraus…

Doch bevor es zu dem Duell kommt, muss Porco erst noch nach Milano, um sein kaputtes Flugzeug reparieren zu lassen. Dort erhält er unfreiwillig Hilfe der jungen Fio, die ihm sein Flugzeug komplett umbaut. Zurück auf seiner Insel beginnt dann das Duell, und plötzlich geht es um viel mehr als nur Geld – um seine Liebe.

Porco Rosso hat einfach alles. Der Film ist spannend, romantisch, lustig, actionreich und traurig zugleich. Zudem sind die Flugszenen einfach so unglaublich gezeichnet, da kann kein Top Gun und kein gar nichts mithalten. Ich glaube, in Porco Rosso hat Miyazaki am meisten eigene Liebe gesteckt. Man merkt das einfach. Miyazaki liebt Flugzeuge, wie man in der Biographie lesen kann gehörte seinem Opa eine Flugfirma. Und das kommt dem Film absolut zugunsten. Die super ausgefeilte Story, der feine Humor, die unglaublich lebendigen Charaktere – PERFEKT. Mein absoluter Liebling, je mehr ich drüber nachdenke. Die Musik ist auch ein Genuss! Joe gibt wieder alles. Unbedingt besorgen!

Der perfekte Samstag – Abend – Familien – Film: Der Sohn fiebert mit dem Helden mit, Mutter und Tochter sind von der Romanze begeistert, und der Vater mag Flugzeuge. So einfach ist das.

Aber mal ernsthaft: Porco Rosso ist wirklich extrem ausgefeilt und fein, hinsichtlich jeder Sache, die in einem Film wichtig ist. Er ist einfach “Rund”, ein perfekter Kreis, glatt und schön.

Porco Rosso es uno de los clásicos más entrañables y singulares de Studio Ghibli. Ambientada en el Adriático entre guerras, la película nos cuenta la historia de Marco Pagot, un as de la aviación convertido en cerdo por una misteriosa maldición, que vive como cazarrecompensas enfrentando piratas del aire. Es una historia cargada de aventura, humor, melancolía y una profunda reflexión sobre la guerra, la libertad y la dignidad personal.

En formato Blu-Ray, la película se ve maravillosa, con colores vivos, gran definición y una limpieza de imagen que realza los paisajes, los cielos y las secuencias aéreas, tan características del estilo de Hayao Miyazaki. La restauración permite apreciar cada detalle de la animación tradicional y el cuidado artístico de Ghibli.

El audio acompaña perfectamente la experiencia, con una banda sonora emotiva y envolvente que eleva aún más la atmósfera nostálgica de la película.

Es una edición imprescindible para fans de Studio Ghibli y para quienes disfrutan del cine animado con alma, mensaje y belleza visual. Un clásico que mejora con cada revisión y que luce espectacular en alta definición.

英語版も声がいいですね！

ハウル、ラピュタの英語版はずっこけましたが、もののけ姫と同様に英語吹き替えが素晴らしいです。

私はこの作品がジブリで最も好きな作品です。

Blu-rayでアドリア海と空を見れば、あーここに行ってみたい！と思うでしょう。

私は紅の豚を見て感激し、学生の頃にイタリア、クロアチアで2週間ほど船旅や街を見て回ったり、いわゆるバックパッカーをしました。

この作品は私の一生の宝物です。

時には昔の話を　を聴きながら今日もワインを頂くのです。

Trasformato in maiale per un incantesimo non meglio precisato, Porco Rosso è il soprannome di Marco Pagot, un grande aviatore dell’Italia tra le due guerre. Ribellatosi al regime fascista, fugge dalla patria con il suo aereo e diventa il protettore di tutte le genti contro i pirati del Mediterraneo. Non si pensi tuttavia ad un puro paladino della giustizia, perché Porco Rosso, è in realtà più interessato ai soldi che agli ideali nella sua nuova veste di cacciatore di taglie. Oltre che in perenne competizione con gli altri aviatori, con i quali non rinuncia, quando può, ad ingaggiare pericolosi duelli aerei. Persa un giorno la sfida contro l’americano Donald Curtis, Porco Rosso fa segretamente ritorno a Milano, dove conosce la giovane Fio Piccolo, che lo aiuta a costruire un nuovo potente idrovolante e lo segue verso il sogno di una rivincita. Tra i due nasce una profonda amicizia, grazie alla quale Porco Rosso riesce a superare un altro scoglio: l’amore mai concretizzatosi con la bella Gina, la donna più ambita di Europa. Che ha un passato doloroso (è tre volte vedova, di altrettanti mariti-aviatori) e sentimenti, discreti ma veri, per l'amico di gioventù Marco.

A metà strada tra la vicenda storica e un’Europa di fantasia dominata dal rombo degli idrovolanti, Porco Rosso è un’opera capace di coinvolgere a diversi livelli adulti e bambini. Emerge anche più evidente che in altre opere di Miyazaki un giudizio sul passato totalitaristico del vecchio mondo. Il “folle volo” di Porco Rosso segna il rifiuto dell’oppressione fascista, e il tentativo di affermare la libertà in un momento storico preciso; e fa impressione, in un cartone animato, vedere un Potere che insegue e spia (le donne dell'officina Piccolo lavorano segretamente per costruire il nuovo aereo di Porco Rosso). Un giudizio severo che coinvolge anche Hollywood, dove Curtis vorrebbe portare Gina, e dove sogna di sfondare prima di arrivare addirittura alla Casa Bianca (evidente riferimento a Ronald Reagan). La caustica ironia della donna, che rifiuta amando troppo l’Europa e l’italiano Porco Rosso, suona come una scelta di campo tra due diversi modi di concepire il cinema. Per quanto riguarda la realizzazione tecnica non ho molto da dire su questo tema: i disegni sono molto simili a quelli di Kiki, e sono perfetti, specie nei fondali, a tratteggiare l’ambientazione marittima del film, anche se lo stile con cui sono disegnati i personaggi è più caricaturale del solito, e deve di più ai cartoni animati occidentali che agli anime. Non è un caso, ovviamente, ma un ulteriore omaggio all’animazione nostrana sulle musiche, anche qui basti dire che il solito, ottimo Joe Hisaishi ha composto gran parte della colonna sonora, ma la parte del leone la fa la bellissima “Toki ni wa”.

Da collezionista delle Steelbook Studio Ghibli, questa edizione di "Porco Rosso" è senza dubbio una delle mie preferite a livello cromatico.

Design e Qualità: La Steelbook ha una finitura opaca di alta qualità che esalta il verde brillante dello sfondo. L'illustrazione centrale è nitida e i colori sono fedelissimi all'opera originale di Miyazaki.

Resa Video: Il Blu-ray offre un restauro eccellente. Il mare dell'Adriatico e i combattimenti aerei hanno una definizione incredibile, mantenendo però quella grana cinematografica che rende il film magico.

Packaging: Come per le altre Collector's Edition, la custodia è robusta e protegge perfettamente i due dischi (BD + DVD). All'interno, le grafiche sotto i dischi completano l'esperienza per ogni appassionato.